On July 27th local time, at the 46th  World Heritage Convention held in New Delhi, India, by the United  Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the  "Central Axis of Beijing - A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal  Order of the Chinese Capital" was inscribed on the "World Heritage  List." With this, the total number of World Heritage sites in China has  reached 59.

The "Central Axis of Beijing" runs  through the old city of Beijing from north to south. It was initially  constructed in the 13th century, took shape in the 16th century, and has since evolved and developed into the longest urban axis in the world,  stretching 7.8 kilometers today. The 15 heritage elements that  constitute it are: the Bell and Drum Towers, Wanning Bridge, Jingshan  Park, the Forbidden City, Duanmen Gate, Tiananmen, the Outer Golden  Water Bridge, the Temple of Earth, the Altar of Soil and Grains,  Tiananmen Square and its architectural complex (Tiananmen Square, the  Monument to the People's Heroes, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the  National Museum, and the Great Hall of the People), Zhengyang Gate, the  southern section of the road remains, the Temple of Heaven, the Altar of Agriculture(Xiannong Altar), and the Yongding Gate.

The following are from the UNESCO website.

Description

Running north to south through the  heart of historical Beijing, the Central Axis consists of former  imperial palaces and gardens, sacrificial structures, and ceremonial and public buildings. Together they bear testimony to the evolution of the  city and exhibits evidence of the imperial dynastic system and urban  planning traditions of China. The location, layout, urban pattern, roads and design showcase the ideal capital city as prescribed in the  Kaogongji, an ancient text known as the Book of Diverse Crafts. The  area, between two parallel rivers, has been settled for about 3,000  years, but the Central Axis itself originated during the Yuan Dynasty  (1271-1368) that established its capital, Dadu, in the northern part.  The property also features later historical structures built during the  Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and improved during the Qing Dynasty  (1636-1912).